Ginger at Parkroyal Hotel, Beach Road: The Wonders of Pincers

If you have a thing for seafood and are not shy about getting your hands dirty in public, you will be glad to know that there is a crustacean buffet in town for your undertaking. From now to 31 October 2018, Ginger at PARKROYAL on Beach Road is offering The Wonders of Pincers. What are these wonders, you may wonder? There are five flavours of crabs and a lobster, most of them cooked in classically Singaporean-styles. I may not be able to rattle off the Seven Wonders of the World in a pop quiz but I can do it for crabs in a heartbeat.

It would be sacrilegious to have a crab buffet without the Chilli Crab (pictured above). Created in the mid 1905s, it is probably one of the most popular and famous dishes of Singapore. Some people actually love the gooey, spicy and sour sauce more than the crab itself. Instead of fried mantous, there are small triangles of deep fried toasts to eat the sauce with. Despite the odds, the crispy toasts hold up the sauce well. I would have loved to pop more of these but I needed the stomach space for more crabs.

The other wonders include the Black Pepper Crab, Salted Egg Yolk Crab, Crab Bee Hoon (pictured above) and Rock Salt Baked Crab (pictured below). The latter serves as a healthier option as it is grilled on the spot and the crab is seasoned with ginger and dang gui, a Chinese herb that is particularly beneficial for women. It is also advisable to eat the crabs immediately once they are off the grill. There is little or no traces of oil and the meat turns out to be a tad dry when it is left out for too long.

For the less health-conscious, the black pepper crab (pictured below) does not disappoint. The buttery-garlicky-peppery reduction brings out the Sunday best in crabs. The salted egg yolk dressing is not too shabby as well but like with all things coated with salted egg yolk sauce, too much of it can be quite irritable for the throat. Take in moderation.

What really hits the spot turns out to be the Pumpkin Lobster in Claypot (pictured below). The lobster enhances the umami flavour in the rich pumpkin soup, making it both sweet and savoury, a delight to consume. Executive Chef Low Hoe Kiat explained that the lobster meat stays tender and succulent because the serving portions are not cooked together with the soup that has been boiled for hours.

Besides crabs, the Barbecue Live Station also grills chicken wings, prawns, stingrays, clams, mussels, etc. Other local favourites such as the Oyster Omelette, Bak Kut Teh and Satay are also available. There are fresh shellfish and prawns on ice, Indian cumin rice to Chinese-style porridge, Western staples like roast beef and roast chicken. You can even make your own rojak!

Barbecue Live Station – Grilled Chicken Wings

Cooked Station – Clams

Mussels on Ice

Roast Beef

The dessert section showcases a variety of cakes, Peranakan kuehs and plenty of ice cream. The kuehs are authentic and delicious. No regrets in stuffing my face with them even though I was already full from eating crabs.

For the price of $68++ per adult and $34++ per child (for both dinner and lunch), this buffet selection is pretty decent and they do the Asian cuisines really well. Do note that food items on the buffet line are served on a periodic and rotational basis – you may not find all the wonders of pincers with just one visit. Eating crabs takes effort, yes?

Written by Cheang Shwu Peng. She used to be able to eat for three but we know that age catches up on everyone, she is now only able to eat for two. She also does not have the habit of sharing food unless it is necessary.

It’s not paid. The review is definitely more subtle than usual—my friend did me a favor to write it and she’s a nicer person than I am, so her voice is gentler–but there are still negative and positive things written in it, as do all the reviews on this site.
Another reason for the subtley of review is the review is on a buffet. With a wide range of food, we cannot go into details; we can only write about the terrible and excellent. And like most buffets, the food is ok, so there is nothing much to rave or praise too much. Which is what this balanced review has accomplished.